Protecting the environment with intelligence

Whaling report calls Danish EU presidency into question

31st May, 2012

LONDON: Prior to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in July 2012, conservation groups have released a report calling for a change in Denmark’s policy on whaling which has caused conflict with fellow European Union members in recent years. There are serious questions about how the Danish presidency of the EU can be maintained, given that its whaling policy doesn’t mesh with EU law.

Breaking Ranks, a new report, is backed by Pro Wildlife, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), and Humane Society International (HSI), and documents how, for the past 20 years, Denmark has actively supported countries that practice commercial whaling, repeatedly leading to conflict within the EU because EU law prohibits whale hunting and the commercial use of whale products.

“Despite its presidency position, Denmark is acting as an outsider to the EU and is undermining the efforts of the EU to better protect whales, something urgently needed,” said Pro Wildlife’s Sandra Altherr, one of the report’s two authors. “We call on Denmark to reconsider its whaling policy.”

Denmark wants to catch more whales – even endangered species

The new Danish Government, which took office last year, seems to be continuing the course of its predecessors. Just before taking over the EU presidency in January 2012, Denmark again opposed a common pro-conservation EU position on whaling.

Denmark’s preparations for the forthcoming IWC in Panama (July 2-6) have been even more diplomatically provocative. Denmark has unilateraly applied for a renewed increase in whaling quotas for Greenland (a Danish overseas territory) without consulting other EU members over such a controversial move.

“This individualistic act causes irritations within the EU,” said report co-author Jennifer Lonsdale of EIA. “Especially when holding the EU presidency, a country is expected to conduct itself in a transparent and coordinated way, seeking common ground rather than divisive action.”

Altherr added: “We recognise that the IWC grants quotas to those peoples who have a genuine subsistence need; however, Denmark is seeking significantly higher quotas than previously, even for highly endangered fin whales. It has deliberately avoided any debate with the EU, which is obliged to coordinate its position at international fora including the IWC.”

Controversial balancing act

In addition to Greenland, Denmark’s other overseas territory, The Faroe Islands, have also been the cause of conflicts as they are not EU members but are represented by Denmark at international meetings such as the IWC. Both territories kill whales; the Faroe Islanders hunt pilot whales that are not subject to IWC quotas and Greenland’s whaling is authorised by the IWC under the special category of Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling, which allows non-commercial whaling for local consumption.

Conservation groups now believe that Denmark has to balance its obligations towards its overseas territories with its responsiblities as a member of the EU. However, Denmark goes far beyond its obligations towards these autonomous regions in actively promoting a pro-whaling agenda. For example, it tried late last year to prevent the EU from criticising Japan’s ‘scientific’ whaling.

Majority of Danes want to save, not slaughter, whales

Polls have shown that a mere five per cent of Danes support commercial whaling, and 75 per cent expect the Government to act against such pro-whaling policies – although the government continues to do the opposite.

“We are calling on the Danish Government to stop supporting commercial whaling and join with other EU members to strengthen effective whale conservation measures,” said Laura Döhring of WDCS.

1. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is a UK-based Non Governmental Organisation and charitable trust (registered charity number 1040615) that investigates and campaigns against a wide range of environmental crimes, including illegal wildlife trade, illegal logging, hazardous waste, and trade in climate and ozone-altering chemicals.

2. Breaking Ranks was commissioned by the agency Shifting Values, which works towards a change in values within animal welfare and conservation policies, and is published jointly by Pro Wildlife, Environmental Investigation Agency, Humane Society International, OceanCare and Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society.

EIA on Facebook

China's blow to recycling means increased demand for brand new plastic - and the USA is cashing in

At a time when the apparent scale of global plastic pollution is spurring many nations to take action to reduce manufacture and prevent plastic waste from further polluting the environment, opening new polyethylene plants is reckless and irresponsible, akin to opening new CFC production factories after we first discovered ozone depletion.

And guess what? The same companies that punched a continent-sized hole in the ozone layer are still involved …

The world’s governments need to focus on reducing production of virgin plastics and investing in domestic reuse and recycling – continued growth of plastic production will just perpetuate the throwaway society and marine plastic pollution.

The loss of forests in Africa in the past century is substantially less than previously estimated, an analysis of historical records and paleontology evidence by Yale researchers shows.

Previous estimates put deforestation at 35% to 55% on the continent since 1900. The new analysis estimates closed-canopy forests have shrunk by 21.7%, according to findings published Dec. 11 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. However, research also shows that some West and East African forests have been reduced between 80% and 90%.

International award recognises EIA’s ‘unique’ climate investigations and work

We were delighted to be among 60 recipients recognised in the Ozone Awards 2017 by Parties to the Montreal Protocol for extraordinary commitment and outstanding contributions to fighting climate change.

EIA was singled out for a Partnership Award in recognition of its unique contributions over several decades. The Secretariat noted: “From hard-hitting investigations on illegal ODS trade to successful advocacy to accelerate the HCFC phase-out and adopt a global HFC phase-down, EIA plays a unique and valuable role within the Montreal Protocol family."